Suspicious Package Just Books

An unexpected package wrapped in brown paper alarmed a Bethlehem woman enough that the city's bomb squad was called Wednesday.

Judith A. Mantz of the first block of E. Washington Avenue got the package in the mail around noon and was about to open it when her father, Harry, noticed there was no return address on it.

The postmark was from Walnutport, and Mantz said she didn't know anybody from that area, police said.

She called police to take a look at it.

Police carried the shoebox-size package to the back yard and examined it.

They tried to borrow an X-ray machine from the Allentown Fire Department but couldn't because it was being used at Kutztown University for security during President Clinton's visit, according to the Bethlehem Fire Department.

Using a long piece of rope, the specialists yanked open the package and found two books.

A note inside explained that an ex-girlfriend of Mantz's son was returning books she had borrowed.